A Finchel Oneshot: In Loving Memory of Cory Monteith
by thewolfgurlgleek
Summary: Dedicated to the Memory of Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson. My take on what should've happened after Finn beat up Brody in season four. RIP Cory. We love you.


**A/N: Hi everyone! I decided to write a little Finchel oneshot in honor of our beloved Cory Monteith. It's the least I can do to support Lea and honor his memory at the same time so I thought I'd get started. Part one is all about Finchel in season four set around the time after Finn beats Brody; which was one of Cory's best scenes in my opinion. This is how I wish the whole thing had happened. I hope you enjoy it! This one is for you Cory. I love you :(.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own glee. All rights belong to Fox and Ryan Murphy. **

**Finn POV: **_"Stay away from my future wife," I growled at Brody, emphasizing it with one last punch to his face before I strode out of the hotel room slamming the door behind me. _

I was still shaking by the time I had reached the elevator. How could that scumbag say that he loved Rachel, after everything he kept from her? In all fairness, there were times when I hadn't been honest with her, but it was never anything like this; never something irreparable. I stepped into the lobby to see Santana waiting for me right by the revolving doors.

"So how'd it go?" she asked when I had reached her.

"I'd say pretty well," I sighed pointing to the bruise on my face, the only one he had left on me. "I beat him to a pulp. He's probably still lying there trying to stop the bleeding."

Santana laughed and laced her arm through mine as we walked down the street. "You know Wooly Mammoth, I never thought you'd have the guts to nail anybody. But judging by what you did tonight, I'd say as long as Berry's involved anything is possible for you."

"Thanks, Santana. And thank you for telling me what he was doing. I was glad to be the one to teach him a lesson."

"Yeah, well he's had it coming for a while now," she shrugged, waving away my thanks.

All of a sudden we stopped at stairs in the concrete. I hadn't spent much time in New York, but I knew enough to know that we were taking the subway somewhere.

"Um, where are we going?" I asked Santana, very confused.

She gave me a smug look. "That was only part one. Berry needs answers, Kurt thinks it's best we don't tell her for a while, but I say different. She needs to know. And I have a feeling you're the only person she's going to believe when it comes to this."

I felt my stomach twist. "T-tell Rachel? Me? Are you crazy?"

"You're doing it whether you like it or not," Santana said. "Man up and come on." I couldn't get another word out before she dragged me down and onto the train. Towards the love of my life, and towards my doom.

**Rachel POV:** "Barbara Streisand is an absolutely amazing actress! Funny Girl proved that years ago, but I mean who thought she'd make such a hilarious grandmother?" I gushed as Kurt and I watched Parental Guidance. We had nothing to do. It was the weekend, we'd finished our schoolwork, Brody went out over three hours ago and Santana went who knows where. So we needed something to watch.

"I know!" Kurt said excitedly. "That just proves completely Barbara can do _anything!"_

Brody was supposed to be back an hour ago. Where was he? I picked up the phone and dialed him again, maybe the third time in the past hour. I sighed. "Still no answer from Brody. I wonder where he is."

Kurt wrapped an affectionate arm around me. "I'm sure the subway is just being slow again and he'll walk in any minute now."

As if on cue, the door began to unlock from the other side. I stood up with a smile ready to greet Brody, but to my disappointment, it was Santana that walked in. my face fell until I saw who walked in behind her.

"_Finn?!" _Kurt and I gasped, our faces were both contorted in shock. Finn didn't even acknowledge me at first.

"Hey bro," he muttered softly to Kurt and went to give him a hug.

"What happened to your face?" asked Kurt, curiously. "And what are you doing here?"

Instead of answering, he turned to me and held open his arms. "Hi, Rach."

I stepped into his arms and he gave me a soft squeeze. I shook of the feelings of safety and warmth that I felt when I was hugging him and let go quickly.

Finally, I saw Finn's face (his incredibly handsome face) and Kurt was right. His face was badly bruised on one side. And it looked fresh. "What happened to you?" I asked him.

Once again, he didn't answer my question. All he did was look at Santana, as though they were communicating with their eyes, which they probably were. Then her eyes flashed to Kurt, who looked absolutely horrified at what he was witnessing, for whatever reason I wasn't sure. He looked at Finn and shook his head rapidly. But Santana gave him a very firm and final nod.

Then Finn's smoldering gaze turned to me. "Sit down, Rachel. We need to have a talk."

After half an hour, Finn and Santana had explained everything. What Brody had been keeping from me the whole time, and what Finn had said and done to make him pay for it. All I was able to do was sit and cry into my hands while Finn rubbed my back soothingly.

"I'm so sorry, Rach," he whispered into my hair. "You don't deserve this. You never did. You deserve someone who loves you."

I raised my face from my hands and looked into his eyes, his beautiful brown eyes, and I saw everything I lost, everything I left, and everything I loved. Still. And I always would.

"I do have that though," I whispered. "I was just so stupid and arrogant because I've changed since I got here that I didn't see what was right in front of me. I thought changing entirely would do me good. And in some ways it has. But the one thing I will never be able to change is being in love with you, Finn Hudson."

He smiled his signature goofy smile. "What are you saying?"

"That I'm so sorry. And I love you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course." And then he kissed me. It felt like coming home again. I felt safe, happy, and loved. After everything that we'd been through, this was the final straw. I had let go too many times. And now I'm sure that I never will again.

We broke apart when we heard the door open. There stood a very stunned Brody. His eyes shot to Finn, and they were full of fear. I noticed his nose was broken. Good. A liar like him deserves it.

Finn shot to his feet. "I thought I told you to stay away," he snarled.

Brody put his hands up in surrender and answered in a shaky voice, "I-I know I promised I would stay away and I will. I just came to get my stuff."

I stood up and put my hand on Finn's shoulder and he immediately relaxed, sitting down. _"Let me do that for you," _I said viciously, narrowing my eyes. Even Santana looked appalled by my tone as I stalked out of the room and into Brody's.

I grabbed his duffel bag and tore through the drawer, stuffing all his clothes and hair product into it. Then I stomped back into the den and threw it at him. "Get out," I hissed at him.

He looked like he wanted to say something to me, but instead he just hung his head and walked out.

I turned to see the shocked faces of my friends and boyfriend staring at me. Finn looked prouder of me than ever, as did Kurt and Santana. As if he read my mind, Kurt stood up and walked over to me, pulling me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you," he said, and planted a kiss on my forehead.

Then I walked over to Santana and gave her a hug, "Thanks, Tana. I promise I will never doubt your Psychic Mexican Third Eye ever again."

She laughed. "It's no problem, Berry. You're one of my best friends. So naturally I'm going to protect you. But you should really thank Finn."

"There's no need to thank me," he said pulling me into his arms. "But I do have one question," he got down on one knee and took out the ring he'd given me last time. "Now that we're back together I can't lose you again. Rachel Berry… will you marry me?"

"Yes," I whispered. And with that, I knew my future was set, as long as it involved my close friends, and Finn Hudson.

The end.

**A/N: Well there it is! Hope you liked it! And Cory, you will always be remembered in our hearts and in the hearts of everyone you met. You aren't gone. Not to us. You just took the midnight train going anywhere. Keep singing and drumming up there big guy. We love you /3**

**Thanks for Reading!**

**-thewolfgurlgleek :) xoxoxoxoxo**


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